Weeks spent in one spot is no good for an army of any size. With the add-on of a few gnoll tribes as well as men from the village near Harkon Manor. the army of Lord Bairan (Bear to his friends) is to big to sit around, but that's what it has done. Till now.

News breaks through the camp like a wave on the shore.

"Pack up!"

"Store supplies!"

"Be ready to move in the morning!"

Pious has traveled light and in no time his pack sits beside him as he squats near one of the many cook fires. His meal finished he wonders where the army will be off to in the morning.

"Excuse, excuse me warrior." an older man says as he approaches the fire. "Could, could you help an old man with some packing?"

Pious nodded his head and stood up with a restless ease. Rubbing his shoulder and sighing with distant relief. It was good to be back in the company of fighting men again but the road had left his legs sore and stiff. Side effects of too much running and too little resting.

The human male was a very average sight among the common armies. Tall, strong, with a firm squint in his eyes, and a square jaw on his cleanly shaved face. His clothing was boring to the senses, bland in texture and color, and dirtied easily around his tall boots. His least inspiring feature was also the easiest to observe. Overlaid about his shoulders was a dim blue cloak that fell easily to his knees. Masking much of his form and making Pious all the more forgettable. Just the way a sell sword liked it.

"Lead the way."

He spoke in a strong tone and a boyish smirk. Welcoming the opportunity to distract himself with some heavy lifting. In the life of a freelancer, much of your time spent off the battlefield was complimented with manual labor as well as brute work. I guess soldiers and mercenaries make just as good of workers as they do of warriors.

From mercenary to wanderer to soldier of the army, Pious was ready to begin his old life anew.

"I... I thank you. My name is Fallon. You... you are Pious are you not?" he asks. "I am... am sorry but such a small camp and you with that pike on your shoulder it does make it easy to identify you."

At that Pious wonders why he hasn't see more "pikes" in the camp. The irregulars seem to be a hodge podge of warriors and weapons while the standing army is mostly heavy foot with thick shields and swords, accompanied by cavalry.

As if reading his mind the man says, "Lord Bear believes... believes any man who wishes to fight and defend The Five Kingdoms should be allowed to. But for some... some reason if you aren't skilled in the traditional arms of a soldier you get sent to the irregulars."

Still smiling he adds, "If you ask... ask me the more diverse the group the more fun."

After walking through camp and past other irregulars packing, eating, and practicing the two arrive near a small cart and what looks like a house on wheels. The area about is full of gear and bedrolls, weapons and clothes.

"Here we... we are. A little messy but soon... soon to be fix." Fallon says looking around his hands going to his hips. "Oh, here... here this is what I need help with."

Fallon move to where an anvil and hammer sit near a fire pit and rain barrel.

The more diverse, the more fun. Heh. Maybe this 'Fallon' had been a freelancer at one point too. Pious certainly had a history with a few 'Diverse' groups before. And some were more fun than others. Haha.

Quietly the warrior contemplated the camp and all it's moving parts. Letting the feelings of making a new home settle down inside of himself. Having been stricken with wanderlust from a young age, Pious wasn't nervous or anxious at all among so many strangers. In fact, it was all the new'ness that made him all the more comfortable. Like all his past sins had been washed away and eagerly forgotten. Nothing could hurt him here. So very far away from his beginnings. Yeah. It felt like being free.

"Oh my..."

Pious awakened with a somber start to his newest challenge. The hammer and anvil that he was tasked with were rather large and brutish even for his tastes.

"Well. If you are certain the cart can handle such a load,... Then I shall simply have to improvise a solution for us."

It was a calm, matter-of-fact like statement. His body language already expressing his martial prowess and logical intellect. Letting his eyes scan the surroundings for items that might make for further use. Folding his arms swiftly underneath his covering blue cape.

"Hmm. I'll see if I can't find a ramp and a few volunteers. With luck, we won't need a horse to pull it around. One moment."

Pious gave a slight nod and excused himself to go procure some help. Four men could move it, A ramp could heft it, and a little brute-force could get the job done. ...But Pious couldn't help but wonder: how did the old man get that massive thing up and down in the first place? Wow. He just hoped they wouldn't need a horse to drag the poor thing.

.

*ooc: I assumed that pious could discern the approximate difficultly of the challenge just from looking at the anvil. bronze, iron, or steel. It must be one big puppy to weigh over 300 lbs.

Fallon was picking up a few items here and there as Pious gave the forge a dubious look. As he is about leave the man gives a start...
"Oh my! I forgot to... to cast my enchantment." he says coming over to lay a hand on Pious shoulder.

{{ Rivatay! Ulthvay! Manior! }}
"Give to this servant your divine blessing and the strength to complete his duties." Fallon prays after the divine energy courses through the warrior giving him a burst of strength.
"That should... should help you to move the anvil."

OOC

Lifting and dragging rules state you can drag/push up to 5 times your max load (for Pious that is 1,050lbs) and lift off the ground 2 times your max load (or 460lbs).

Was wanting a hard labor post from you, then I was going to post the opps I forgot. No matter.

Eyes wide open, Pious observed his arms with a mild amusement. He felt no stronger than usual but there was a subtle tingling on the back of his neck that hinted at something greater. Magic was no foreigner to him, but he had been the subject of very few spells in his day. This was an uncommon pleasure for the warrior male and his tone reflected that,

"Well. Perhaps that little gift will make all the difference."

Improvising a ramp came easily. Pious re-purposed a nearby piece of lumber and placed it on a gentle incline into the cart. Then he looked twice at the anvil and guessed again,

"It might be too heavy for anything we have lying around the camp. I'll just try picking it up for now. Let's see if the help of the Gods will suffice our purposes."

Pious gripped the anvil with both hands and slide it over to the cart's edge. Then he practiced good form and lifted the anvil with all his strength. The last anvil he had hefted was only about 250 pounds in total and made of iron. Fallon's was much hefter,

"Hurkkk..."

.

*ooc: haha. that is a ton of weight to be hurking around. you better make a strength check to see if he succeeds. then you better make a constitution check to see if he throws his back out too. lol. heave ho.

With the added strength Pious is able to work the anvil onto the cart, but he is full of sweat and tired to boot when all is said and done.

He notices the wheels are extra thick and iron bound as if to handle the extra weight. As he is looking over the oddly made cart Fallon brings him a waterskin to quench his thirst.
"Thank.. thank you," he says looking over the completed job. "I hadn't enough strength to take the spell and do this myself. Can I interest you in a little roast quail? Feeding you would be the lest I could do for helping me."

If you accept.

As you sit to eat around the small cookfire Fallon asks you a question. "How did you come to be in this part of the kingdoms? By your accent, I would say you are from Fanshaw and not Pesh."

Pious warmly accepts the offer as he rubs his dirty hands against his cloak. Eager to see the job finished and take a moment for himself.

"...I've come a long way. We all have I suppose. But no. I'm not from around here. War takes a man many strange places. I am no different."

Pious smiles meekly as he continues munching away on his reward. Food always tastes better when you don't cook it yourself. Pious enjoyed himself and did little to match the eye contact of the old man sitting across from him. It wasn't rude, the young man just hadn't decided what was important yet. His mind fluttering back and forth between priorities. Who was in charge? Where to get setup? How to get paid? ...The usual. It was the mercenary in him that demanded he never sit still.

Distracted as he was Pious interrupted his own conversation,

"Excuse me again sir?" He said with a frown and placed his bird aside, "..Well. Rather..? Where does one get signed up for the Irregulars Company? You mentioned it earlier. I thought I might..."

He placed his food to the back of his mind and looked about the camp with renewed interest.

"Well. Just walking into a camp doesn't make one a soldier, now does it? I'll need an officer to speak with. Can you point a lost young lad in the right direction?"

Passively scratching his head, Pious was worrying out loud. He just needed to know all the logistics were settled and in order before he could begin to relax. Old habits die hard.

"Actually walking... walking into this camp does," Fallon says with a chuckle. "The irregulars are the hodge podge of leftover warriors that don't fit into.. into that old buzzards ideal soldier. I believe you will fit in nicely here. Besides I may need... need you again."

Looking questioningly at the old man Fallon points at the large wagon. "That thing gets... gets stuck more often than not. Even a little bad weather is enough to soften the ground foor it to find a deep rut."

Yawning the old man rises and says, "If you stick... stick around I can promise you more good food and, a spot in the irregulars when they march out. Sleep... sleep on it. And good night."

Heading for a covered wagon (more like a house on wheels) Pious sees the old man throw a bed roll under it before crawling under himself to sleep.

OOC

Off to Bed and post your wake up. In the morning you will have some PC joining you and Fallon.